Need parking policy to avoid anarchy on roads, BMC told

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday asked the BMC to come out with a comprehensive parking policy or there will soon be "anarchy" on city roads.

Hearing a PIL on the issue of Mumbaikars getting their cars illegally registered in Thane, a division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice V L Achliya asked the state and BMC if they have any plans to regulate the entry of private vehicles in the city.

"Why don't you as custodian of the city consider framing rules for parking," asked the judges, while referring to a PIL in 2007, where the HC had raised concerns on traffic issues. "Nothing has changed in the last seven years. There is still no adequate parking space. Why should you wait for the court to raise this issue? BMC should be concerned about it and unless you address the problem, there will be anarchy on roads in a few years."

The court asked the RTO to consider seeking a certificate from a new car owners about space available to park their vehicle before registering it. "Ask for a letter from the society that there is parking available in the compound," said the judges.

The HC also suggested authorities should consider imposing costs on vehicles parked on roads and multi-storey car parking.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Pai said last year, 40,000 new vehicles were registered in the city and it is not . The advocate also informed the court that it was not possible for the RTO to cross-check the residential details of all car owners. Pai added that Replying to a query by the court the prosecutor further said that the state did not suffer any loss if a person from one city registers his car in another city.

At the last hearing of the case, the court had sought to know about plans to restrict entry of vehicles into the city to tackle the traffic menace. Advocate Pai told the court that another court was hearing a similar PIL on the issue of traffic problems in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. The court has adjourned the case for further hearing to March 6.

* Transport authorities expect the number to touch over 22 lakh by 2030

* The ratio of private cars to public transport in some parts of the city is an alarming 90:10

* The length of roads in Mumbai is 1,956km

Traffic regulation plans are non starter

Traffic Restrain Scheme - Under the scheme proposed in 2001, during peak hours, vehicles with number plates ending with 1 and 2 would be barred entry into the island city on Mondays, those ending with 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays and 9 and 0 on Fridays.

Status: Traffic police said the plan not feasible. PIL to implement TRS pending in court.

High Occupancy Lane - Mumbai traffic police proposed that a lane on major arterial roads should be demarcated as a "fast lane'' which can be used exclusively by cars that carry three or more passengers.